


Catching Up

by springsteenicious



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: F/M, Getting Together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:40:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27046609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/springsteenicious/pseuds/springsteenicious
Summary: Hyde isn't exactly sure just how he ended up in a smelly ice shack staring at a notebook paper with his name written on it in Jackie's curly handwriting, but he does know that today is going to change things between them.Or: Hyde goes to the ice shack.
Relationships: Eric Forman/Donna Pinciotti, Jackie Burkhart/Steven Hyde
Comments: 8
Kudos: 65





	Catching Up

Hyde sat at the kitchen table, eating toast with peanut butter. He would leave for work soon. Normally he would've eaten breakfast at Bud's, but they were all out of cereal and bread, so Hyde had decided to go to the Forman's. It was also closer to the Fotohut, meaning he wouldn't have to walk as far. 

Eric and Donna entered the kitchen from the living room. They were both decked out in full winter clothes. They sat down at the table with Hyde. 

"You ready for our weekend trip to Kelso's ski cabin?" Eric asked. 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Hyde asked. 

"Kelso invited everyone over to his uncle's ski cabin for the weekend," Donna said. 

"This is the first I'm hearing about it," Hyde said. 

Eric and Donna exchanged confused looks. They all turned to the door when they heard Kelso honk his van horn at them. Hyde put his plate in the sink and followed Eric and Donna outside once he grabbed his coat. 

"Hyde, what are you doing here?" Kelso asked when he saw him. 

"Apparently, going to a ski cabin," Hyde said. 

"No! Look, I have a master plan, and it doesn't involve you or Fez," Kelso said. 

"Oh no. Dare I ask what your master plan is?" Donna asked. 

"This weekend was gonna be like a double date. You and Eric and me and Jackie," Kelso said. 

"Jackie's not dating you, ya moron," Hyde said. 

"I know! I'm getting her back!" Kelso shouted. 

"You're still with Laurie!" Hyde pointed out. 

"Not today!" Kelso said. 

Hyde had to go on this trip. He couldn't let Jackie go back to Kelso. He would just cheat on her again. Jackie would just get hurt even more. Hyde wouldn't stand back and let that happen. 

"Well, think of a new plan, because I'm coming along," Hyde said with a fake cheeriness to disguise his true motives. 

"Ugh! Fine!" Kelso shouted. He stormed away and got in the van. Eric and Donna sat up front with him, Eric on the hump. Hyde sat in the back, but leaned up against the front to talk with the others. 

"Kelso, why do you need us for your master plan?" Eric asked. 

"You guys are my example. You're pretty much the perfect couple, so I'll just copy all the sissy, loser things Eric does!" Kelso said. 

Kelso sped up the van, checking the rearview mirror continuously. Hyde looked behind them and saw Fez sprinting behind the van. Finally, Kelso hit a red light and Fez jumped in the back with Hyde. 

"What are you doing? I've been chasing you for six blocks," Fez said, breathing heavily. 

"I'm sorry, buddy, I didn't see you," Kelso said. 

"Yeah, nice try. I know all about your master plan. Now drive, you sneaky son of bitch!" Fez said. 

Kelso shrugged and kept driving. Soon, they pulled up at Jackie's house. She came out looking really damn cute. Hyde mentally slapped himself for that thought. Ever since their date, he hadn't been able to get her off his mind. Their kiss… he couldn't even begin to describe how it made him feel. But she hadn't felt anything, so it didn't matter.   
Jackie hopped in the back of the van, next to Hyde. She leaned up against the front seat, just like he was. 

"Hey, Jackie! Excited for the trip?" Kelso asked. 

"Yeah!" Jackie said, smiling. 

"Jackie, there's something you should know," Donna said. 

"The cabin is really cool!" Kelso said before Donna could reveal anything. 

Donna tried to continue, "Jackie, Kelso is going to-"

"Make sure you have a really good time!" Kelso interrupted. 

Donna huffed and looked like she was going to try again, but Hyde shook his head. Jackie could figure it out on her own. 

"Well, I'm just excited to hang out somewhere that isn't Eric's stupid basement," Jackie said. 

"Hey, my basement is great! Where else would we hang out?" Eric said. 

"Yeah, Eric's basement is awesome. And so is Eric," Donna said. 

"Aw, you're so sweet. We are such... _the perfect couple,_ " Eric said. 

Jackie furrowed her brows. She gave Hyde a look, questioning. He just shrugged in response. Kelso put on a Led Zeppelin cassette, the album _Physical Graffiti_ , and they spent the rest of the ride listening to music. 

Hyde gave Jackie a small smile when he saw her bobbing her head to the song _Houses of the Holy_. Maybe his music taste was rubbing off on her. 

They arrived pretty quickly. Kelso parked the van on the frozen lake, which Hyde didn't think was a great idea. The six of them got out of the van and stared at what was supposed to be the cabin. 

In reality, it was an ice shack. A small wooden box in the middle of a frozen lake. If Kelso thought Jackie was going to like it here, he was a bigger idiot than Hyde thought.

"You brought me to an outhouse?" Jackie shrieked. 

"Actually, Jackie," Eric banged on a metal can in front of the shack, "That's the outhouse." 

"Sweet," Hyde said. This had to be in the top ten dumbest things Kelso had ever done. Hyde couldn't wait to see how it went. 

"No- No, it's an ice shack, for fishing. This is gonna be a blast! I mean, it's so beautiful out here. Plus, I brought lotion." Kelso said. Jackie grimaced at the bottle of lotion Kelso pulled out and walked away. 

"It's kind of cold," Donna said. 

"Here, take my jacket." Forman took it off and draped it over her shoulders. 

"I love you," Donna said. 

"God, we are such- _the perfect couple,_ " Forman said. 

"I'm cold too," Jackie said. 

"Well, damn, Jackie, I can't control the weather!" Kelso said. 

"Man, you're an idiot," Hyde said. He took off his jacket and gave it to Jackie. He was fine in the thick sweater he had on. 

"Thank you, Steven," Jackie said, smiling. She went inside the ice shack. 

"Why the hell did you just give Jackie your coat?" Forman asked. 

Hyde shrugged. "'Cause Kelso's dumb?" 

"That's not a reason, but I'm willing to drop until later." Forman turned to Donna. "So, sweetie, what do you want to do?" 

"Whatever you want to do, honey," she responded. They were laying it on thick with the perfect couple stuff. 

"I want to go inside," Eric said. 

"That's what I wanna do too!" They both rushed into the shack, followed closely by Fez. Hyde was about to follow when Kelso cut him off. 

"Hey, what the hell was that jacket business, man? You're making me look bad!" Kelso said. 

"Well, Jackie's my friend and I'm making up for your dumbassery by helping her stay warm," Hyde said. No way would he tell Kelso the truth; that he liked Jackie and wanted to do something nice for her even though he had no chance with her. 

"All right, but no more, okay? I really want her back," Kelso said. 

Hyde rolled his eyes and went inside the shack. 

~

Jackie stood in the back of the ice shack, shivering. She had given Steven his coat back after seeing him shiver slightly. She was still trying to figure out exactly why he had given her his coat in the first place. 

After their kiss, she had panicked. She'd realized she was pushing him into a relationship he didn't seem to want to be in. Their kiss had ignited galaxies inside of her, but she couldn't make Steven something he wasn't. 

They hadn't talked much since then. But now he was giving her his coat? Steven was a complicated man and Jackie was determined to figure him out. 

"Boy, ice fishing's fun," Eric said flatly. He was sitting next to Donna on one of the benches, holding a fishing rod over the hole in the middle of the shack. 

"I like this place, out here in the middle of a frozen lake. It's cozy, don't you think, Jackie?" Michael asked. He was seated on a crate. 

"I think you're delusional," Jackie responded. She crossed the cabin to where Steven and Fez were sharing the other bench. 

"Oh, he's delusional all right," Steven said. "Has been since the second grade." 

"He has to be if he thought taking you here was a good idea," Fez said. 

"Ow. Good burn, Fez," Michael said. 

"I mean, Eric would never take Donna to a place like this," Fez said. 

"Fez, it wouldn't matter where we were. Just being together makes it fun," Donna said. That was one of the most romantic things Jackie had ever heard. She hoped one day Steven could say something like that about her. Only in her dreams. 

"But I would never bring you to a place like this, because I know that you don't like such small, smelly places," Eric said. 

"You know me so well," Donna said. 

"Eskimo kiss!" Eric said. They rubbed their noses together. They were acting sickeningly in love. They were never this touchy-feely and it was making Jackie uneasy. 

"You two are gross," Steven said, voicing Jackie's thoughts. 

"You're just jealous," Donna said, smirking at Steven. 

Steven matched her smirk. "Yeah, I'm real jealous of the fights you guys have every week." 

"Those... are fights of love?" Forman said. 

"Yeah, because Eric knows me so well he knows when he's wrong," Donna said. 

"Too bad Kelso doesn't know anything about Jackie," Fez said. 

"Whoa. That is not true. I know everything about her! In fact, I'll bet I know more about Jackie than Eric knows about Donna," Michael said. 

"Whoa, Kelso, walk before you run, baby," Eric said. 

Seriously. Michael didn't know her. If he knew her, he wouldn't have cheated on her, or lied to her or acted like an immature dillhole the entire time they dated. "You think you know me, Michael? Then prove it," Jackie said. 

~

Hyde was seated next to Fez on a wooden crate. Fez had his own crate and was trying to peek at Donna and Jackie's notebooks. He had suggested they play The Newlywed Game to prove how well Kelso knew Jackie. Hyde was excited to watch. 

In the van ride over, Fez had quietly told Hyde his plan. He had even asked Hyde to write some questions for the game. Hyde did, of course. 

One of the questions he almost hadn't written down. It was highly provocative and would likely make Kelso angry. That was part of the reason he'd suggested it. The question asked Jackie who her best kiss was. 

Fez had been excited about it, because he thought only Kelso and himself had ever kissed Jackie. He had no idea Hyde and Jackie had shared a kiss that shifted Hyde's entire world. 

"So, gentlemen, your ladies have written their answers down already," Fez said once all the answers were written down. "Eric, what is Donna's favorite pizza topping?" 

"Pepperoni," Forman said confidently. 

Donna held up her notebook, revealing the word pepperoni. They smiled and hugged. 

Fez turned to Kelso and Jackie. "Kelso-"

"Mushrooms!" Kelso hollered, standing up. 

"That is not your question, idiot! And minus two for interrupting the host," Fez said. 

"But, Fez-" 

"I said minus two!" Fez looked at the index card in his hand. "Kelso, Jackie has distant relatives in the Cook Islands. What species of turtle did they save from extinction?"

"Uhh… Ladderback!" Kelso said. Jackie lifted her notebook. Ladderback was the correct answer, against all odds. Kelso and Jackie smiled at each other. 

This was going to be a long game. 

~

Jackie held up her notebook, showing that Michael had gotten yet another correct answer. It was baffling how he kept getting these right. 

Of course, these questions proved nothing. They were just little factoids about Jackie's life, not questions about her feelings or values. If Michael thought she would take him back because he knew trivia about her, he was sorely mistaken. 

Every time Michael got a question right, Jackie found herself glancing at Steven. He looked confused, like he couldn't possibly believe Michael knew all this stuff. 

What did he expect? Jackie had drilled Michael in this information the whole time they were dating. 

Had Steven actually felt something during their kiss and they'd started dating, Jackie wouldn't have tested him like she did Michael. Steven didn't operate that way. 

"What was the name of Donna's first cat?" Fez asked. 

"You should know this one because you killed him," Donna said. With every question Fez asked Eric and Donna, the tension between them grew. 

"Mr. Bonkers," Eric said, staring at the floor. He looked up at Donna as she held up her notebook, showing that he was right. "It was an accident!" 

"Yeah, tell that to the cat ashes on my mantle!" Donna said, voice rising. 

"Quiet! It is Kelso's turn!" Fez flipped to the next index card. "What is Jackie's secret favorite band?" 

"Uhh… The Bee Gees?" Kelso said. 

"He said secret, moron. It's the Rolling Stones," Steven said. Everyone turned to look as Jackie held up her answer, revealing Steven was correct. They all turned to look at him. He shrugged and said, "What?" 

"Why do you know that?" Eric asked. 

"I'm not gonna answer that," Steven said. 

He knew that because on their date, Jackie's favorite Rolling Stones song had come on the radio and she had talked about how she secretly loved the band. Steven had made fun of her for liking the song _She's A Rainbow_ so much. But then they'd talked about the band for a little while. 

"Well, this is quite the turn of events!" Fez exclaimed. "Maybe Hyde should be the one answering questions about Jackie." 

Steven laughed loudly. "Nah. I just happened to know that one thing." 

Steven may have been brushing it off, but Jackie knew better. That was the first question that was actually relevant to Jackie, and Steven had known it instead of Michael.   
Meaning that on their one and only date, Steven had paid attention to her. And remembered what she'd said, no less. It had taken years for Michael to memorize things about her. 

Maybe Steven had lied, just like she had. Jackie prayed that was the case, because if it wasn't, her answer to her last question would be very embarrassing. 

~

"Eric, who was Donna's best kiss?" Fez asked. 

"Well, I want to say me, but she'll probably say I'm being presumptuous and narcissistic," Forman said. 

"Well, you'd be wrong, because you are my best kiss. I mean, I've only ever kissed you. And Hyde that one time," Donna said, glancing at Hyde. 

"That doesn't count," Hyde said. Kisses that one person forced on another didn't count as real kisses. 

"Well, I'm glad I'm your best kiss," Forman said to Donna, smiling a little. Donna rolled her eyes. 

"All right, back to the game!" Fez said. Hyde drummed his fingers on his leg as Fez read Kelso's final question. "Kelso, who was Jackie's best kiss?" 

"Oh, that's easy. Me, obviously," Kelso said. 

Jackie lifted her notebook. Hyde's breath caught in his throat. Black ink on white paper said 'Steven.' 

"HYDE?" Kelso, Fez, Donna, and Forman all shouted. But Hyde barely heard them. He and Jackie hadn't broken eye contact since he read her answer. 

"I did feel something. I lied," Jackie said. Then she stood up and exited the ice shack. Hyde made to follow her, but Forman held him up. 

"You kissed her?" he asked, voice riddled with disbelief. "First you give her your jacket, then you know her secret favorite band, now you've kissed her?" 

"Is that why you gave her your jacket? Are you in love with her?" Kelso asked hysterically. Hyde turned and gave him a look. 

"No, I'm not in love with her," he said. He made sure to keep his voice quiet so Jackie wouldn't hear him outside the shack. "We can talk about this later." 

He left the shack and found Jackie by Kelso's van. He walked over to her slowly, not wanting to risk the ice cracking. Death wasn't on his agenda today. He stood next to her, putting his hands in his pockets before they froze off in the cold. Jackie was shivering a little, but Hyde needed his jacket right now. 

"I lied too," he said. 

She looked up at him. "Really?" 

Hyde nodded. "Why did you lie?" 

"When we kissed, I realized you were changing. I had been chasing you for weeks, wearing you down. You kept denying me. Then you just suddenly agreed to go out with me. You were actually giving me what I wanted, even though you didn't want it." Jackie stared at her boots. "I didn't want to trap you in a relationship." 

"Jackie, I wouldn't have taken you out on a date if I didn't like you. I kind of panicked when we kissed because I realized just how much I like you. And then you didn't feel the same way," Hyde said. 

"But I do feel the same way. And it's not just a hero-worship crush, either. I know you better now, and I really like you," Jackie said, looking up at him. 

Hyde smiled at her. "So, you wanna give the whole date thing another try?"

"Yes, I really do," Jackie said. "But only if you're willing to be in a long-term relationship. I need a real relationship, not a fling." 

"I know. I've never really been anyone's boyfriend before, but I'll get the hang of it. As long as you're really over Kelso," Hyde said. 

"Oh, I am done with Michael forever. I can't date someone who could cheat on me for so long," Jackie said. 

"I promise I won't cheat on you," Hyde said, taking his hands out of his pockets. 

Jackie smiled. "See, you're already getting the hang of the whole boyfriend thing!" 

Hyde smirked. "Yeah, the absolute bare minimum." 

"Still, you're trying," Jackie said. She took his hands in her own and stepped closer. Then she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. He kissed her back, hoping this kiss would end better than their last one. 

"OH MY GOD, THEY'RE KISSING!" Kelso shouted. Hyde pulled away from Jackie. The feeling of her lips still tingled on his own. He didn't let go of her hand as Kelso ran over to them. 

So much for this kiss ending better.

"Jackie, how could you do this to me?" Kelso asked, looking and sounding affronted. 

"I didn't do anything to you. I'm just moving on, like you did with Laurie," Jackie said. "Since when is it wrong for me to date guys?" 

"When the guy is my best friend!" Kelso shouted. "Speaking of which, Hyde! How could you stab me in the back like this?" 

"How am I stabbing you in the back? You're not dating her anymore. She's free to make her own decisions," Hyde said. He squeezed Jackie's hand gently. She smiled at him.

"Yeah, but- but- I know the most about her!" Kelso said, flailing his arms. 

"But you don't. You know little facts about me and my family because I made you memorize them, but you don't know things about me," Jackie said. "You didn't know I liked the Rolling Stones! Even if you did, it would only be because I made you memorize it. You never pay attention to me because you want to get to know me!" 

"Well, damn, Jackie, how was I supposed to know you liked the Rolling Stones? You only ever listen to disco!" Kelso said. 

"No, I don't. God, Michael, you only care about yourself," Jackie said, shaking her head. "Could you leave us alone now? You didn't notice because you were too busy thinking about yourself, but we were in the middle of something." 

Kelso made a face and flailed his arms a little more before shouting, "Fine!" and storming off. 

"What an idiot. I'm so glad to be done with him," Jackie said. She turned to Hyde. "I'm also glad we're finally together." 

"Yeah, two months later than we could've been, but that's fine," Hyde said. 

Jackie hit his chest lightly, then splayed her hand out over his heart. "Shut up." Hyde placed his hand over hers as warmth spread through his chest. She smiled up at him, then pecked his lips. 

"We should go back inside," Jackie said quietly. 

"Why?" 

"Where else would we go? It's cold out here and it's a little warmer in the shack, so… Let's go inside," Jackie said. 

"All right," Hyde took her hand and they went back inside the shack, where Forman and Donna were making out, clearly having recovered from their fight. Fez was standing in the corner near Kelso, looking pissed. 

Jackie led Hyde over to the bench she and Kelso had been seated on earlier. They both sat down, and she pulled Hyde's arm around her shoulders like she had on Veteran's Day. 

"Quit making out, you two. No one wants to see that," Hyde said. Forman and Donna broke apart. Forman's eyes nearly bugged out of his head when he saw Hyde's arm around Jackie. 

"Oh my God. Are you two, like, together?" Donna asked. 

"Yup," Hyde said. He angled his head back toward Kelso. "And Kelso, if you try to hit on Jackie or you pull another stunt like today, I'll knock you out in one punch." 

"Fine!" Kelso said, before sticking his tongue out. 

"Oh, you don't have to worry about Michael hitting on me. Because if he does, I'll kick him until his shins are black and blue," Jackie said, giving Kelso a sweet smile. 

"Hell yeah," Hyde said. 

"See, you two dating isn't gonna work out 'cause you're both so violent," Kelso said. "I'm gonna have to go to the emergency room twice as much now!" 

"That's like four times a week," Forman said. "I don't think you parents can handle those bills." 

"You know what I think?" Fez asked. "I think we should all go home because this day was a waste!" 

"Oh, this day was not a waste. Steven and I got together!" Jackie cuddled into Hyde's side, resting her head on his shoulder. 

"That is exactly why it was a waste for me! Kelso, let's go home!" Fez stormed out of the shack, followed closely by Kelso. 

"Ready to get out of here, sweetie?" Forman asked Donna. 

"I sure am, honey," Donna said. "I'm also ready for you to stop calling me sweetie." 

"Will do," Forman said. They stood up and walked out. 

"Let's go before Michael drives away without us," Jackie said. She stood up and pulled Hyde out the door. Kelso started the van as they walked over. They got in the back right before he started driving. 

Fez was seated up front with kelso while Forman and Donna had snuggled up together by the hump in the back. Hyde sat near the one remaining door and draped his arm over Jackie's shoulders. 

Jackie leaned up and brought her mouth near Hyde's ear. She whispered, "Since we have two months of a relationship to catch up on, wanna come over to my house?"

Hyde smiled and said, "That sounds great." 

Jackie smiled, then kissed Hyde. Just like on Veteran's Day, her lips sent a thrill through his chest and stomach. He couldn't wait to catch up with her.

**Author's Note:**

> written for my numbered draft game on Tumblr at springsteenicious!


End file.
